Under A Grey Sky
by Asarikou-chan
Summary: [Drabble Collection] No matter how cold winter is, it could mysteriously bring a fathomless warmth to dreamy hearts. Entry for Aiko's "Siblings Boot Camp" challenge.
1. Matchsticks

**Author Note**

It happened that I was couragous enough to participate in Aiko's Sibling Boots Camps :). I feel so excited so I'll try to put some deadline to stick to them. Anyway, this collection contains 10 drabbles. The main general theme is Winter because I don't like writting drabbles in utter randomness. Something to keep myself under control hehe.

Regarding this collection, some chapters take place before the divorce. I'm making sure they are logical in the time line, thoguh so no one will feel confused.

I hope you enjoy ^_^

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**Under A Grey Sky**

**1. Matchsticks**

They were so cold and very very bored. Their Papa and Mama weren't home. They went to visit someone they didn't know and didn't take them along. How could they, the twins thought. They were good kids. They didn't make noise and had never ever made Mama and Papa angry but Mama said something about a sad place for children so they should stay at home and wait for the baby sitter. Maybe it's sad and also bad place like the monster's castle in their favorite anime but why would their precious Mama and Papa go there. The were grown up so they could defeat any monsters there.

And it was raining. What if the electricity went off? What should they do? What if the monster came out from under the bed to eat them. Mama and Papa would cry so much if they didn't find them home. They'd look for them for ages and ages and they'd reamin in the sad, black clothes they were wearing that morning.

Shaking their identical worries aside, they waited for the baby sitter whom their mother asked to come. Baby sitters are so annoying. They keep talking on the phone and shout at them if they played in the kitchen or came near the living room with their mud-stained clothes. Fighting the monsters from under the bed was way easier than dealing with baby sitters especially for the younger twin. He'd go so angry if someone shouted at his twin.

'Nee, I'm cold.' The elder twin thought loudly.

'Me too.' Kouji responded with a frown.

They couldn't play outside with all the rain there and sitting on the couch was so boring even with the TV on. Bright lightening crossed the sky, followed by a great roar. Kouichi trembled and got closer to his brother who was as scared as him but refused to show that. He should take care of Kouichi. He was very strong after all.

'Kouji-chan. Wanna sleep.' Kouichi whined in a small voice.

'So early, Nii-san.'

Before they think further about it, the electricity went off accompanying scary waves of thunder and lightning, making the two kids hug each other fearfully.

It was so dark and that made little Kouichi so scared. He hid his head in Kouji's chest and sobbed. 'Dawk. scawy.'

'It's okay. I'll keep Nii-san safe. Don't be scawed.' He hugged Kouichi tighter to comfort both of them. It was really scary but admitting it would only make it worse. He was not a child evne if he was only three years old. He can protect his Nii-san. He wouldn't wait for some babysitter to come and take care of them. Taking a deep breath and remembering all the heroic acts of his favourit heroes, he led his scared twin to the kitchen, blocking the sound of the crazy thunder outside. Stumbling with hesitant steps, they approached the kitchen.

Kouichi was holding his brother's wrist so tightly and walking closely behind, almost touching his back while moving. He was scared but not so very scared. Kouji was here! Kouji can keep him safe. Kouji had beaten all the bad guys in their Kindergarten. Kouji is a hero. His favorite hero!

Kouji stopped and took his twin to the drawer where the matches are hidden. They shouldn't go near fire. It was too dangerous but he had to protect Kouichi. Fire would make them warmer. It'd give them light. It was their savior. Their new hero.

Kouichi glanced at him worriedly. 'Can you light them?'

Kouji gulped and nodded with equal worry. He was a hero too. He can light some stupid matchsticks. Brushing the stick against the destined part of the matchbox with great determination.

He can do it. He should do it. And he did it! The light danced and gave life to the shadows around the stick. The shadows weren't fearful. They were so beautiful and playful. The twins gazed in awe. It wasn't their first time. They lightened some matchsticks before and got scolded but it felt different now. It was warm and nice and it seemed as if it would remain forever. The thunder voice died and what continued echoing was the low voice of the burning stick. The light died but was quickly followed by a second and a third. They were giggling in excitement and happiness, totally care-free.

They weren't scared anymore. They could find light and warmth on their own. They didn't need anyone to give them comfort. They found it in each other's presence. And that was enough for them.


	2. White

**Author Note**

**Hey, everyone. I'm glad that I updated quickly ^.^ Since you guys liked the previous drabble about the twins pre-divorce here's another one but it's a bit more thougtful and slightly sad*sniff*  
Thanks for your encouraging and sweet reviews guys :) I'll do my best.  
**

**Enjoy the kawaiiness ^_^**

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**Under A Grey Sky**

**2. White**

Delicate gloved hands stretched eagerly to catch the gracefully dancing snow. Kouichi cupped his hands and waited the first snowflakes to greet him. It was the first snow fall in the year and the one they could completely comprehend. It's not easy to remember fragile memories when you're only four years. He breathed in awe and neglected the biting cold.

It was cold but comforting. The pure whiteness everywhere looked like fluffy cotton to him. Leaning against his brother's shoulder, he whispered.

'Pretty, nee?'

Kouji nodded and wrapped his arm around the other's shoulder in attempt of warming both of them. His gaze turned from his brother's dreamy face to the dark sky. It was late and they knew that hey shouldn't be sitting in front of their house at such an hour but the attractive snow draw them.

'Shouldn't we go inside?' Kouji wondered more to himself than his brother. Kouichi had recovered recently from a nasty cold and he didn't want him to get sick again. No one answered his hesitant wondering. His twin was lost in his surroundings to notice anything else. It was strange for a four year old child to look so thoughtful and distant from the whole world. He shouldn't allow his brother to isolate himself in his thoughts like this yet Kouichi seemed too comfortable to wake up from his trance. Maybe it was better to forget the world and dream.

_'It's your fault!'_

His mother's yell cut the pleasant silent, announcing another round of arguments between his parents. They fought a lot recently to the point of scaring them. His parents were too involved in putting the blame upon each other to notice that their children weren't sleeping in their beds.

Switching his gaze again towards his brother, he was shocked to see the blank face he wore. Kouichi was listening to them and it was too painful for him to bear. One of his small hands tightened suddenly around Kouji's.

'Nii-san? You okay?'

Kouichi took few minutes to respond before reacting. He glanced towards the breath-taking carpet of white snow around them before lowering his head regretfully. 'Let's go inside.'

The murmur was barely audible. Pain and self-blame were there in addition to regret.

Kouji didn't ask why. He knew his brother well enough to understand him. The elder twin didn't want them to be the cause of another fight between their parents. The Minamotos would get really angry at their children if they found out about their whereabouts now.

Their hearts were beating faster, asking them to stay there a bit longer. For unknown reason, they felt as if they wouldn't enjoy the snow together like that for a long long time. Hand in hand with a heart full of innocent regret and pain that was old for their age, they walked inside.


	3. Stuffed Animals

**Author Note**

I don't really know what happened to me to decide suddenly to post this chapter. Maybe because I want to push myself to work on other multi-chaptered fics. Ignore my mumble and have fun :)

Please tell me what you think. I appreciate your reflections ^_^

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**Under a Grey Sky**

**3. Stuffed Animals**

Fluffy and warm enough to comfort his heart, the small black stuffed lion snuggled to him. Even in his dreams, Kouichi'd pull his kind friend to his chest and bury his face in the toy's head. It was comforting. Things and people get more precious under certain circumstances and the singing, dancing rain outside made his beloved stuffed animal a part of his family.

The four year old child wanted nothing more than feeling warm into someone's arms and since he couldn't he tried giving warmth to something else so he could easily imagine hugging someone and being hugged by that one. He felt warm but he was far from happy. Something was missing and the stuffed animal didn't manage to replace what was lost.

It was unfair not to be able to recognize what you lost. It hurt an in days like that he felt more pain. Nights and days were he was dying for a hug or the sweet smell of a family. His mother and grandmother did their best but that wasn't enough. Couldn't be enough.

Kouichi snuggled more and tried so hard to imagine or rather remember the small arms that were supposed to hug him, replacing the lifeless stuffed lion.

**!****~.~.~.~.~****~.~.~.~.~**~.~.~.~.~!

Kouji hated stuffed animals. They were deceiving. They were tricky and annoyingly warm. In spite of how much he was yearning for warmth, he couldn't forgive them for simply and unconditionally providing it. He couldn't sleep. He felt so cold but no one was there to comfort him and he didn't want anyone to come near him.

No, that was a lie. He'd do anything to regain the warmth he had lost. When did he lose it or why, he couldn't even tell but that warmth was there. That warmth should be providing him happiness now. He needed it desperately but what could a four-year old child do? He gazed at the raining sky through his window. The person who used to give him warmth was no longer with him and it saddened him not to know what or who he lost. He couldn't help wondering if the other side was missing him as well.

Kouji crawled to his bed and pulled the smiling white wolf to his chest. It was a guilty replacement but he needed it. He wanted to imagine or rather to remember how it felt before.

**!****~.~.~.~.~!**

They were deeply asleep, enjoying the deceiving blissful warmth their stuffed animals provided and wishing desperately to go back to the nights they had forgotten. The rainy nights where they used to snuggle to each other with their loyal stuffed animals by their side.


End file.
